


Imprint

by wonderluck



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Series, happy family time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2015-11-01
Packaged: 2018-04-29 11:19:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5125541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderluck/pseuds/wonderluck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Felix and Sarah functioned like twins. It wasn't Mrs. S's accent Felix picked up—it was Sarah's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imprint

**Author's Note:**

  * For [maharetr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maharetr/gifts).



> Prompt: Some happy family time for the Manning-Dawkins-Sadler clan. I added some backstory. A very late Yuletide New Year's Resolution fic.

Sarah didn't talk much about her upbringing with anyone but Felix. She had a chip on her shoulder the size of a small city and carried herself like she'd never known a loving home. She _had_ grown up loved, but not by her birth parents, and it distorted her feelings toward Mrs. S. 

During their time in London, a strange face around the dinner table was not a rare occurrence. Mrs. S's friends all looked a bit tired and a lot nervous. Together, Sarah and Felix didn't pay them much attention—they were always occupied with something, and at 12 Sarah practiced her skills with stolen makeup on Felix. On the rare occasions she was without him, she was endlessly inquisitive. She listened to whispers behind closed doors and openly scowled at the guests if they gave her any direction. When told she was up past her bedtime, she would lie awake in bed just to spite them. 

Other children cycled through the house, but Sarah didn't connect with any of them. Felix was the youngest of the kids that came to live with Mrs. S, and he was the only one who smiled with any frequency. His laughter made the house feel lighter. He and Sarah functioned like twins. It wasn't Mrs. S's accent Felix picked up—it was Sarah's. Whenever they had a row, it was quick to end in tears because they knew just what to say to wound each other. But it didn't last long, and Mrs. S would find them building a blanket fort a few hours later. 

They had a shared delinquency. Whenever one of them learned a new skill, they pooled their knowledge. Sarah taught Felix how to throw a punch, the two of them alternately holding pillows in front of their chests while the other swung. Felix taught Sarah how to pick pockets at the mall. She lied to Mrs. S about where Felix procured his art supplies, and he lied for her when she snuck out to meet boys. Upon hearing Mrs. S call for Sarah from downstairs, he would sprint into the bathroom and switch on the shower before locking the door and forcing it shut from the outside. He did this more times than Sarah would admit. 

There was a period after Sarah nearly landed herself in juvenile detention when she began to appreciate Mrs. S, a time when Felix's front teeth were out of proportion to the rest of his face and Sarah's hair was wilder than ever. On most days she was an unruly teenager, but for a short while she welcomed Mrs. S's hugs, welcomed their time together.

During this period, they spent days at the beach basking in the summer sun and braving the wind gusts off Lake Ontario. She and Felix liked to sprint along the beach, digging their toes into wet sand and flinging it at each other. Felix didn't wear contacts then, and Mrs. S would yell, "If you scratch his glasses _so help me, Sarah_ ," but they both knew it was an empty threat. Felix had longer legs anyway, and it was often Sarah spluttering and wiping sand clumps from her cheeks while she promised revenge. So when Felix, having changed out of his swim trunks, strayed too close to the water, Sarah gave him a good push. As he fell sideways, he caught himself on his hands, but not before landing on his backside. Laughing, Sarah offered him a hand. "Come on, Fee." He rolled his eyes, but let her help him to his feet. She teased him about his "soggy arse," but it meant they got to stay extra at the beach and wait for him to dry off. 

Mrs. S joined them as they stood with their backs to the sun, intent on elongating their shadows in as many ways as possible. Felix's shadow looked like a scarecrow. Sarah's shadow wasn't much taller than she was, so Felix crouched behind her and gave her extra arms. Leaning his chin on Sarah's shoulder, she gained another head. Mrs. S stood behind them, smiling. She held up her hands, fingers spread, and gave them antlers. 

Mrs. S found sand in the car for months.

***

When Kira was old enough to walk and talk, Sarah wanted to share with her one of her favorite things from childhood: watching the ducks. Sarah made the popcorn that would serve as duck food, deflecting Felix's hand when he reached to steal a few flakes from the container. It had snowed over Christmas, so Mrs. S bundled Kira in a reindeer sweater and her warmest jacket before driving them to the lake.

Sarah and Felix held each of Kira's hands and swung her between them as they walked. Kira giggled, kicking her boots at the snow on the ground. 

"Do you want to play in the snow, monkey?" Sarah asked, setting Kira down. 

Kira nodded and dug her mittens into the snow, tossing it in the air. Sarah knelt down beside her. 

"We're going to make a proper snowball, okay?" 

Sarah picked up two handfuls of snow, mashing them together. She took one of Kira's hands and helped her shape the snowball, packing it tight. Felix found a patch of untouched snow and drew patterns in the powder with his thumb.

"Don't drop it," Sarah said, helping Kira cup her hands. She picked up more snow and made a snowball for herself.

"You know what we do now?" Sarah asked her. 

Kira shook her head, ringlets bouncing against her cheeks.

Sarah smiled, a playful glint in her eye. "We throw them … at Uncle Felix!" Sarah launched her snowball at Felix, hitting him on the thigh.

"What–Sarah, _no_ ," Felix whined, starting to retreat. 

Sarah whisked Kira into her arms and ran after him. They weaved and dodged as Felix tried to lose them, but Sarah spun and caught him off guard. 

"Now!" she called out.

Kira giggled as Sarah helped her toss the snowball.

"Stop!" Felix yelped just as the ball dashed against the collar of his pea coat. He tried frantically to wipe it off; he only made it worse, causing snow to slip into his shirt. He screeched. Squirming and batting at his shirt with his mittens, he pulled them off and dug under his collar. He produced a wad of melting snow and raised an eyebrow at Sarah.

Sarah hugged Kira. "Good work, monkey."

"You tiny hoodlum," he said, picking up Kira and twirling her over his head. He carefully placed her on his shoulders, and Kira squealed with joy. 

Felix took off, trotting along the water line, singing the alphabet. Kira joined in at the beginning and end of the song, mumbling the middle bit. 

"I remember when you were nearly that small," Mrs. S said, glancing at Sarah who stared straight ahead, watching Felix and Kira feed popcorn to the mallards and swans.

Sarah chafed her hands together, blowing warm air onto her fingers. The weather was biting cold, and her exhales were visible as quick puffs of vapor.

Mrs. S pointed to the air as Sarah's breath dissipated. "On days like this, you'd try to make clouds. You'd spin in a circle breathing out streams of air. You were sure that you could if only you tried hard enough."

Sarah nodded, eyes peeking above the clasped hands at her mouth. "I remember." She lowered her hands and stuffed them into her pockets. "I'd beg you to do it with me, see if we could make one big cloud together."

"We couldn't quite get it though could we, chicken," Mrs. S said.

Sarah shook her head. 

Felix stopped in front of them. "Hey, somebody missed you," he said, passing Kira into Sarah's arms.

"Did Uncle Felix show you the birds?" Sarah asked, hoisting Kira high on her hip.

Kira grinned, nodding her head.

"Which was your favorite?"

"Swans, mommy," Kira answered, pointing toward the lake.

"Ah, the swans," Mrs. S said, pulling Kira's hood tighter around her head.

The swans had been Sarah's favorite. Swans traveled in the smallest groups, and Sarah found it comforting. When they floated, unmoving, she envied their stillness. They could also be ridiculous, which Sarah quite liked—the noise they made sounded like a cross between a puppy and a kazoo. 

Holidays brought a ceasefire in their house. Sarah never ran away at Christmas, and once Kira was born, she wouldn't con during the holidays. Sarah didn't want to be out in the world alone when every street was littered with smiling gaggles of families. And as much contention as she had with Mrs. S the rest of the year, she put it aside. 

She had a family and she knew when to enjoy it.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this is so late. I got a bit stuck. I hope this helps a bit to make up for that not-great decision I made for your gift fic. The title comes from an interview with Jordan Garvaris about Felix and Sarah's relationship.


End file.
